Summer Accommodations: A Novel by Sidney Hart

know about your reputation around here I suppose.”
    â€œWhat reputation?” I said.
    â€œYou don’t have to defend Harlan, Melvin, he’s a big boy and he can take care of himself.”
    â€œYeah, but what reputation,” I asked again.
    â€œUmmm, great lover, charmer, intellectual snob?” Harlan offered with relaxed amusement.
    â€œCharmer, yes, but also cheat, chick chaser, chicken-hearted, and charlatan,” Ron said.
    â€œReally? Well, try chivalrous and charismatic, you churlish chump.”
    â€œHey, what did you two do, rob Sammy’s dictionaries?”
    â€œYou can make all the jokes you like, Harlan, but people are on to you. You’re not charming you’re slick. People don’t walk right behind you because they’re afraid they’ll slip and fall on the slime you leave in your tracks.”
    â€œBrilliant, Ron, really brilliant. I am cut to the quick.” With the back of his hand at his brow Harlan sighed and swooned backwards on to his cot. “I am undone,” he groaned.
    â€œAnd I am going to the shower,” I said, jumping down from my bunk trying to sound playful but upset by their exchange. From my first day Ron had made it obvious he had bad feelings about Harlan. Maybe he was jealous about something I didn’t know of. You rarely know the real reasons for people’s attitudes. I had already decided to study Harlan and learn from him and I’d seen no reason to mistrust him so I wouldn’t allow myself to be influenced by Ron.
    â€œYeah, go to the showers, Jackass, you’re out of the game. You’re also out of your league but you’re too green to know it.” Ron’s words bit at my pride.
    Later that morning at breakfast, Sammy called for a meeting after the cleanup.
    â€œThis will take just a few minutes so don’t grumble so much. Ben Braverman is concerned there’s a thief around the hotel. He’s not saying who, or where but he knows something’s up. Guests have had their jewelry taken, some cash has disappeared, cigarette lighters, every kind of valuable. So, to calm his guests down a little bit he’s having his daughter, Heidi, circulate in the dining room at lunch. And I don’t want any of you playing any tricks or making any cracks to her. That’s it. That’s all I have to say. Except it better not be one of you boys who’s the thief.”
    â€œWhat good will Heidi walking around the dining room do?” one of the waiters called out.
    â€œIt’ll make the waiters and busboys happier,” someone else called out.
    â€œMaybe Judge Crater ran out of money and had to find a way to make ends meet?” someone else offered to the applause of a few waiters.
    â€œEnough, enough. Comedians. It’s his way of hearing the gossip, the stories, the rumors, the worries, you never know what you find out this way. Anyway, be nice to Heidi and, AANNDD,” he shouted to quiet the chattering group, “if you hear anything that you think could help tell me first, not your buddies or your girlfriends. Personally I don’t think it’s one of you. You all make too much money to be so stupid to go stealing from the guests, but if it is one of you …” and he just shook his finger at the assembly.
    I looked over at Ron. He was craning his neck trying to locate someone at the rear of the huddle of staff.
    â€œWho’re you looking for?”
    â€œI want to see the look on Harlan’s face.”
    â€œWhy, because Heidi will be spending her lunch hour in here?”
    â€œBecause I think if there’s one crook in the dining room it’s him.” I shook my head.
    â€œBoy, when you have it in for someone he can’t do anything right.”
    â€œNo, not Harlan. I spotted it the minute he walked into my room, the way his eyes scanned my things while he put his hand out to shake mine. It felt like an insurance appraisal or